ome loathsome prison if alive; my husband and Peter nearly at death's
door on more than one occasion; Seraine Whitcomb, a lovely girl, with
her only brother in the army (he a mere boy), she leaves her old father
and mother to take the chances of her life through the lines searching
for one of our family, and now her only brother under sentence of death
for what he could not help doing. Capt. Jackson, what do you propose?'

"Jackson replied that some one must proceed to Washington at once, and
that he thought it was not best to let the boy's parents in Detroit know
the facts, they being old people and alone (according to the statement
of the boy), and as the young lady is doubtless searching for Henry, as
we all surmise from her letter to our father, it is certainly our duty
to look after this boy's case ourselves. I have only ten days' leave
from my duty, and therefore brought these papers, thinking that father
might perhaps go to see the President.

"Mary Anderson spoke up at once and said:

"'No, sir; no, sir. Your father will not go. He must not leave Aunt
Sarah in her present condition. I will go; yes, I will go at once. Get
me a ticket, I want no trunk; my satchel will do. I will be off on the
first train.'

"Jennie said, 'Why, Mary, you will not go, will you?'

"'Yes, I am going. I am determined to do so. It is settled; so do not
attempt to stop me.'

"'Well,' said Jennie, 'Uncle Daniel, what shall we do?'

"I replied, 'She is determined on it, and we will just help her to get
off at once.'

"So the ticket was procured and Mary was off with a good-bye, taking
with her a full statement of the case made out by Jackson, also his
letter, and a letter from me to the President. Under the circumstances
this was a painful trip to her--the anxiety as to her success; the fact
that she knew nothing about the family in whose behalf she was enlisted.
She a stranger to the President, how should she approach him? What could
she say to him? Suppose he would refuse to interpose in behalf of the
boy? And a thousand inquiries would come to her mind to annoy her. She
slept none on her way, but finally arrived safely in Washington, and
went directly to the Executive Mansion without stopping to take a
mouthful of food or a moment's repose.

"When she reached the threshold of the mansion she came near fainting;
her courage and strength both seemed to leave her all at once. Presently
her strength returned, and she asked to be a